Will Eamonn Holmes be tempted to do Celebrity Big Brother for £250k?

Will Eamonn Holmes consider Celebrity Big Brother for £250,000?

Celebrity Big Brother made an explosive return to TV starring big names including former X Factor judges Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh as well as former This Morning host Fern Britton in March earlier this year.

Now it's reported TV bosses have set their sights on the 64-year-old GB News presenter and it's claimed they are willing to pay out £250,000 for his appearance. Rumours of Celebrity Big Brother come after Holmes has had an emotional year after the split from his wife Ruth Langsford and his battle with his health. Additionally, the star said he was forced to sell his Belfast home after a tax dispute.

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The Sun reported an insider saying: "Celebrity Big Brother bookers are drawing up a wish list of contestants and Eamonn is on it. They would love for him to take part as he’d be such a popular housemate.

"Eamonn’s health concerns are something they would take into account and, when they package up an offer, they would make assurances to him that he would be looked after in the house. The offer would be a meaty six-figure sum, around £250,000, to try and tempt him in."

Read more: Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford's jobs that 'took them in different directions'

Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford's marriage split

It come to light this year that Holmes had split from his wife Ruth Langsford after 14 years of marriage but 27 years as a couple. They were one of the nation's favourite TV couples as the married couple presented This Morning together every Friday and during the school holidays for 15 years but they were axed in 2021.

It was reported their marriage broke down over their work commitments taking them in "different directions". A spokesperson for the couple confirmed the news with a statement saying: "Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes have confirmed their marriage is over and they are in the process of divorcing."

Holmes and Langsford's son Jack has gone to university recently. The GB News presenter also has three children from his first marriage - Declan, Niall and Rebecca.

Eamonn Holmes 'forced' to sell Belfast house

In January this year, Holmes said he was "forced" to sell his Belfast home and that he was "very bitter" about it after a tax dispute.

He told UTV (Northern Ireland's ITV region): "I had a house here until six weeks ago when I was forced to sell it by the Inland Revenue (HMRC). It's something I’m very bitter about because people think you earn lots of money and therefore you have to pay. It’s like they have taken away everything I ever worked for.

"People think it’s only the Eamonn Holmeses of this world that they’re after. But it’s not. The country is broken."

He had lost two HMRC appeals over whether he was freelance or staff at ITV. Tax officials have ruled that Holmes was staff but Holmes said he never got sick pay or holiday pay or company shares.

HMRC are quoted by newspapers as saying: "We take the wellbeing of all taxpayers seriously and do everything we can for those who engage with us to get their tax affairs in order, including by offering affordable payment plans."

What Eamonn Holmes has said about Celebrity Big Brother

So what has Holmes said about Celebrity Big Brother in the past?

In January 2018, Holmes rubbished claims he had turned down an eye-watering sum of £800,000 to appear on Celebrity Big Brother. The Daily Star reported in December 2017 that the presenter had rejected the show saying, "I don't need the money."

During his presenting stint on This Morning, Holmes addressed the controversial headlines. "The controversy is around the fee that has been offered to me," he said.

He added: "The thing is, the honour has probably raised my asking price up a bit but you can tell the story is nonsense when the fee they offered me - £800,000 - which I'm supposed to have said, 'I don't need the money.'

"Folks, let me tell you, the words you will never hear from my lips are: ‘I don’t need the money,' So suffice to say, fake news!"